The Christmases In Between
by 554Laura
Summary: After watching the Bones Christmas episodes I began to wonder what happened during the years we didn't see, and this little story was born. Three chapters today, and maybe one tomorrow. Merry Christmas, and I don't own Bones...are you listening, Santa Claus?
1. Chapter 1

Brennan sighed as she looked around the lab. Angela had insisted on decorating every available surface with some sort of garish Christmas tinsel or garland, and the strings of small twinkling lights were impossible to avoid. All of this effort to enhance the lab's appearance for one day of the year seemed to be waste of time, but Angela thought it was fun, and since she was Brennan's best friend, Brennan saw no problem in indulging her whimsy. Brennan shook her head, amazed at Angela's enthusiasm over a holiday. For some reason Brennan could never understand, Angela thought Christmas was wonderful. Shrugging, Brennan turned away from the display and walked into her office.

It really didn't make any difference, anyway. Brennan checked the reservation confirmation on her computer once again. She was finally going to Niger over this Christmas holiday. She had wanted to go last year, but Dr. Goodman had denied her request, saying she would be needed at the lab to help identify some newly arrived sets of ancient remains. What a fiasco last Christmas had been...being locked in the lab under quarantine wasn't a complete waste of time, given that they were able to help Ivy Gillespie recover part of her past, but it was not the most efficient way to spend a long weekend.

The one good thing about having Dr. Saroyan in charge of the lab this year was that she didn't seem to care if Brennan stayed or left over the holidays. For some reason, that irked Brennan...at least she assumed that was what irked her, even though she had to admit that she might also be irked by all the attention Dr. Saroyan had been lavishing on Booth since she had taken over the leadership of the lab.

Thinking of Booth made Brennan smile as usual, especially when she thought about how excited he'd been about Christmas this year. He had purchased some sort of elaborate remote controlled car for Parker this year, and it was difficult to determine who would actually have more fun with it...Parker or his dad. Booth had talked endlessly about how happy he was that he was going to be able to take Parker to see his Great Grandpops for Christmas this year since Rebecca was going on a trip to London with her new boyfriend.

All of Booth's nostalgic talk about how he had spent Christmas with his grandparents over the years had made Brennan a little wistful. Even though rationally she realized that she should be over her mother's death and her father's disappearance, small memories of Christmases with them and her brother still managed to worm their way into her thoughts. However, she had steeled herself against those little intrusions into her logical mind and had even been able to be happy for Booth as he shared his plans for the holidays.

She shut down her computer and turned to check her desk one more time when she heard the soft voice at the door.

"Hiya, Bones…" Booth stood leaning against her doorframe. "I'm glad I caught you before you left."

"Booth...I thought you'd left for your Grandfather's house already." Brennan picked up her bag and files. "Are you running late?"

"No...not really...it's just…" He blushed slightly. "I wanted to give you your gift before you left. It isn't much….sorry. I kinda ran out of time to shop." He held out a small gift bag for her.

"Oh, Booth….I'm sorry. I don't have your gift here with me. It's at my apartment. I had planned to see you next week…." Brennan stammered a bit as she avoided eye contact with Booth. Gift exchanges always made her feel awkward and uncomfortable.

"Don't worry about that. I just happened to be in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd stop by." A lie...but she didn't need to know everything, did she? "Anyway...here..open your present."

"Thank you, Booth." Brennan smiled as she removed the tissue from the bag and pulled out the picture frame. "Oh, Booth! I love it!" She laughed as she saw the picture of the two of them dressed as Tony and Roxie, taken while they were undercover when they were on a case in Las Vegas.

"Yeah, I thought you might...that black dress looked really good on you, and I liked Tony's clothes, too." Booth stood next to her as he looked over her shoulder at the picture. "It's kinda fun to remember that trip, isn't it? We had a lot of fun…." He paused as her blue eyes captured his thoughts. "Maybe we can go back some time as us…"

She nodded, inhaling sharply as she noticed the physiological changes in her body in response to his proximity. He was so very attractive…"Yes, maybe so...except for the fact that you should avoid any temptation to gamble…"

"Yeah, you're right…." He shook his head. "Bad idea. God, look at the time. I gotta go." He turned to face her. "Look, Bones….be careful on your trip to Niger or wherever the hell it is you're going. Be safe, okay?"

"Booth...I can take care of myself...I've been on many trips like this before…"

She was so close...he wanted to avoid looking at her lips...he didn't want to kiss her, did he?…."Yeah, I know, but the FBI needs you to come back in one piece to help me solve crimes, okay? So you gotta be careful."

He was so close...his eyes were so warm…"I will, Booth. I'll be back next week." She took a step towards her door. "I need to go...to get to the airport on time…."

"Yeah, of course….so, um...Merry Christmas, Bones."

"Merry Christmas, Booth."


	2. Chapter 2

Brennan looked through her bag again as she got ready to leave her office. Her computer was shut down, the lights were off, and she was finally going to Peru. Last Christmas she had cancelled her trip to have Christmas with her family in the conjugal trailer at the prison. This year, she had no familial obligations to keep her in the country.

Russ and Amy had finally married, and had moved to Florida with the girls. They had invited her to come have Christmas with them, but she had felt awkward about accepting, deciding that they needed to spend their first real family Christmas together without her intrusion. They had insisted it that it would be no problem, and logically she knew that was true, but she found that she was relying more on her emotions in this decision, probably due to Booth's influence.

Her father was spending a few days with Russ, and was then moving on to spend time with one of his many female friends. Brennan had long ago given up trying to understand her father's motivations when it came to his family and how he spent time with them, but she didn't want her decisions to be affected by what Max was going to do...he was far too unreliable.

Brennan stood in the doorway of her office, looking out at all the decorations Angela had made for the lab. Angela was planning on decorating her Christmas tree with handmade ornaments this year, and she had been experimenting with various methods of creating them. As a result, the lab was festooned with all manner of origami animals, glued felt elves, satiny angels, and reindeer made from candy canes. In combination with the small blinking lights, the lab was an explosion of color. The blaring Christmas carols from Angela's office added another layer of festive noise to the buzz of activity as everyone tried to finish their work before the holiday break.

It was time to go to the airport. She was taking a flight to Peru this evening and would be gone a few days working with National Geographic on a step pyramid built by the Moche'. Booth wasn't impressed, again mentioning to her that old bodies and Christmas just didn't go together. He'd been quite annoyed this Christmas season like he was last Christmas. Rebecca was being vague about her plans with Parker, and he'd had a hard time making arrangements for his visitation. Poor Booth….Christmas was his favorite holiday, and he might not be able to spend it with his son….

Brennan walked quickly across the lab on her way to the parking lot when she heard him.

"Bones...Bones….wait up." Booth was sprinting across the lab after her, carrying a small box wrapped in Christmas paper. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

She turned and smiled as Booth approached. He was wearing that handsome gray sweater which accentuated the breadth of his shoulders, with his red Christmas tie….she couldn't help be notice how attractive he was. "I'm on my way to the airport...I finally get to go to Peru this year to study the Moche' like I planned to do last year."

Booth rolled his eyes. "Yeah, great. That really does not sound like fun, you know? Why aren't you going to see Russ and Amy? Florida is warmer than the mountains of Peru, and it's beautiful there."

Brennan shrugged. "I think they should have time to bond as a family this year without intrusion of others."

"I don't think that's it at all." Booth smirked as he shook the package at her. "You just want an excuse to go to Peru without feeling guilty, right?" He laughed at the slightly guilty expression on his partner's face.

"No, that's not correct….so what did you decide about Parker?"

"Nice save, there, trying to change the subject...Parker is going to spend Christmas this year with Rebecca and Brent in London and New Year's with me." Booth sighed as he remembered the drawn out argument over the visitation arrangements. "I'll probably take the train up to see Pops for Christmas day."

"I'm sorry things didn't work out better for you, Booth."

"Yeah...that's okay." He couldn't help but notice how she was honest in her sympathy...maybe she really was concerned for his happiness…her beautiful eyes were filled with emotion. "I don't want Pops to be alone this year...he really misses Nana, you know?"

"I understand. I'm glad you won't be alone this Christmas." Brennan glanced at her watch. "I need to get going so I can catch my flight." She gestured toward the package Booth held. "What's that?"

"This? Oh, it's just a little something for my favorite forensic anthropologist…" Noticing that she looked confused, he clarified quickly. "It's a gift for you, Bones."

"Booth….I don't have your gift here. I didn't plan to see you tonight…." Brennan sighed. Gift giving was still a bit awkward, even with someone she knew as well as Booth. "I'll bring it to you when I get back from Peru."

"It's okay, Bones...It's no big deal. Here...open your gift." He grinned as he held the box out to her.

She unwrapped the box carefully. "Booth...they're beautiful." She removed a pair of earrings carefully from the box and held them up to look at them better, admiring the small black lacquer domes inlaid with mother of pearl cherry blossoms. "They're perfect." She gave him a hug as she admired them.

"I'm glad you like them. They're from Japan. I had Ken Nakamura help me pick them out. As soon as he emailed me the picture of them I knew they'd look great on you." Booth grinned shyly. "I've had them for months...I had hard time waiting 'til Christmas to give them to you."

"Here…" Brennan handed Booth her bag. "Hold this while I change earrings...what do you think?"

"Beautiful...they look beautiful, Bones." It wasn't just the earrings. He couldn't help but think about how beautiful she looked.

"Booth….I really have to go." She smiled as she hugged him again. "Have a Merry Christmas."

"Yeah, you, too. Be careful not to fall off a mountain there in Peru, okay?"

"Yes, I'll be careful. Bye…" She waved as she walked off.

Booth watched her walk away, wondering when he'd get to spend another Christmas with her.


	3. Chapter 3

Brennan sat in her office, trying to concentrate on finishing the report she was typing. At least the lab was finally quiet. There was no more silly Christmas music blaring in the background. Everyone else had left early, since it was Christmas Eve, so she had decided this might be a good time to get some work done before her trip. She'd be leaving for El Salvador in the morning to do a few days of volunteer work and wanted to tie up some loose ends from the last case she and Booth had worked on.

Even though it was quiet, it was still hard to work. Stray thoughts about what people were doing for the holidays kept intruding. Russ and Amy were going to visit Amy's parents in North Carolina, and had invited her to come with them, but it seemed uncomfortable...like maybe they'd pitied her and didn't want her to be alone. Brennan wasn't sure where Max was...he'd said Maui, but he could just as easily have been in New Hampshire for all she knew, just one step ahead of an angry husband or running from the law again.

Angela had tried several times to get Brennan to come spend Christmas with them...she and Hodgins had plenty of room for her, but she didn't want to intrude on their family time, either. Cam and Michelle were going to Hawaii, and all the squints had plans to be out of town.

Brennan sighed quietly. Even though she didn't believe in the religious significance of the holiday, she had learned to enjoy the time spent with her friends over the years. The memories of the most recent Christmas dinner she had hosted at her apartment were still fresh in her mind….everyone gathered around the table, enjoying a great meal and each other's company, Booth sitting next to her…..it had been a wonderful evening.

She brushed a stray tear away, angry at herself for giving in to her emotions. Booth would be spending Christmas with Hannah this year. He hadn't said much about the plans they had made, but, knowing Booth, he'd gone all out to impress his new girlfriend with his celebration of the holiday….probably the biggest tree he could find, and all the decorations he could squeeze into his small apartment. Brennan hoped that Hannah enjoyed Christmas as much as Booth did, knowing how happy that would make Booth….happier than he would've been listening to his partner stating that Christmas was a myth and the celebration had derived from the Roman festival of Saturnalia.

After trying to work some more on the report, Brennan finally decided to give up and go home. It was getting late, anyway. She wasn't looking forward to going to her empty apartment, but it helped knowing that she'd be leaving early the next day. She shut down her computer and picked up her files. Maybe she could work on the paperwork during the flight to San Salvador. She turned to leave when she saw her visitor standing in the doorway.

"Hiya, Bones...what are you doing here so late on Christmas Eve?"

"That's a silly question, Booth...I'm working, of course. It's a regular work day, and I have work to do. The more pertinent question is what are you doing here so late on Christmas Eve….shouldn't you be at home with Hannah?"

"Hannah's working. She had to go to London for an interview, but she'll be back tomorrow evening." He sauntered into Brennan's office. "I was just checking on my partner. I guess I'm just surprised you didn't go out of the country for Christmas."

"I'm leaving for El Salvador tomorrow morning. I'll be gone for about a week. Will you get to see Parker tomorrow?"

"Yeah, he's coming for Christmas morning and then he'll go to Rebecca's tomorrow evening." Booth watched Brennan as she stacked papers on her desk. "And then I'll pick up Hannah at the airport and we'll have our own little celebration." He grinned wolfishly at the thought.

"I see." Brennan picked up her bag, hoping that Booth would know she was ready to leave….the situation was getting uncomfortable. She really didn't want to know how Booth and Hannah would be celebrating...she imagined it would involve lots of sex. "I need to get going, Booth. I still have some things to do before I leave in the morning."

"Yeah, okay….but I got you a little something here." Booth pulled a small package from inside his jacket and put it on her desk.

"Oh...you shouldn't have, Booth….I don't have anything for you…" She had decided it wouldn't be proper for her to get him a gift since he was involved with Hannah. She didn't want to cause any misunderstandings between them.

"No problem, Bones...I saw this and it reminded me of you. Go ahead...open it." He noticed she seemed embarrassed…"C'mon, Bones….it's Christmas…"

She unwrapped the package and found a CD. " _Fifty Years of Jazz_. This looks great, Booth….Thank you very much." She smiled weakly as she read the back cover. There was a lot of good music on the CD, but she knew she wouldn't be able to listen to it without thinking about how she felt about Booth and Hannah together…..

"I thought you might like it….the best of the best, you know...all the greats. This way you can play it in your car along with that rap CD you like so much….maybe you can download it onto your computer and listen when you travel, right?" He grinned. "Anyway, it'll be better than that stupid mixtape that Hacker made for you."

Brennan furrowed her brow slightly. "I think it was very nice of Andrew to make that collection for me. I still listen to it." She paused slightly. "Andrew and I are going out together for New Year's Eve."

"Oh…" Booth wasn't sure why that made him unhappy, but it did…Finally, he continued, "Well, I hope you have a good time with Hacker. Hey, be careful in El Salvador, okay? I need my partner back in one piece to help me solve more crimes, right? Have a good trip." He grinned slightly, trying to keep the mood light.

"I hope you and Hannah have a Merry Christmas, Booth. Good night." She turned off the lights as she left her office and walked away.

Booth watched her go, thinking of the Christmas dinner they'd shared at her apartment not too long ago, and shook his head, wishing that things had worked out differently…..


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: THIS INSTALLMENT WAS SUGGESTED BY ALPHAGIRL 13, WHO WONDERED WHAT BRENNAN'S FIRST CHRISTMAS ALONE MIGHT BE LIKE, SO WE'RE GOING BACK IN TIME A BIT. IT IS KIND OF SAD, BUT I PROMISE THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS WILL BE HAPPIER.**

Temperance Brennan sat at her desk working on her paper as the snow fell furiously outside her dorm room window. She was working on a paper for her British Literature class. She sighed as she reread the topic: comparing daytime soap operas on television to Shakespearean literature. It was impossible to determine how her professor had come up with a topic so inane. It was yet more proof that Temperance had made a wise decision when she declared her major to be anthropology. Science would provide the logic and rational thought she craved.

She looked out her window at the snow covered campus below. The snowfall had transformed the streets and lawn of the quad had formed a flat white sheet unmarred by footprints. It was December 24th….Christmas Eve, and for all practical purposes the campus was completely deserted. Temperance had applied to stay in the dorm over the intersession, telling the resident assistant on her floor that she had enrolled in three intersession classes and she required access to the library. That was true, but, in reality, Temperance had no other place to go. This was her first Christmas on her own...she had no family or friends to spend the holiday with, so she had decided to stay on campus for the semester break.

It had been an easy choice, really. Temperance had aged out of the foster system and she had no desire to visit any of her foster families again. She didn't like her roommate, Julia, finding her to be shallow and insipid. There were no girls in the dorm that she wanted to associate with, since, for the most part, they seemed to be immature and sex crazed. Therefore, logically, staying in the dorm was a reasonable choice. It was warm and somewhat comfortable, and there were food sources available. The library was open so she would have plenty to do if she wanted something to read or to assist her in her work. It was an excellent plan, and she was pleased she had come up with it. She'd be able to work and study undisturbed by the ridiculous freshmen girls who populated her dorm. Temperance made a mental note to begin to look for off campus accommodations close to the university so this situation could be avoided next year.

As Temperance rose from her desk to get a book from her bag she stopped to consider Julia's half of the dorm room. Julia had set up a small pink feather Christmas tree, and had covered it with Zebra striped ornaments. The area over her bed and over her mirror was draped with glittery pink and zebra garland, and a pink, green, and zebra feather wreath was mounted on the wall. Temperance shuddered at the gaudy display. All of the money and time spent to mark one special day of the year was something Temperance would never be able to completely understand.

Sitting back down at her desk again, Temperance found her mind was beginning to wander as she tried to work. She had some vague recollections of Christmases spent with her family many years ago….opening packages from Santa and from her parents, dinner with family members whose names she could no longer remember, and even a glimmer of memories about Christmas Eve church services. All of that changed when she was about ten years old. Her parents' behavior suddenly became more erratic, secretive, and unpredictable. Their disappearance around Christmas three years ago had been a shock, but not a total surprise.

Temperance's thoughts flowed toward the storage box under her bed. The Christmas presents her parents had left for her before they disappeared were still in it, unopened just like the Christmas Day when Russ had put them out under the tree for her. Some day….some day, her parents just might come home, and she wanted to open those packages when they did, so they could enjoy the occasion as much as she would. Until then, she couldn't bring herself to even think about Christmas as a special day, worth all the time and energy that people spent on it.

The whole situation seemed fairly obvious to Temperance, and she assumed it was also fairly obvious to anyone else with half a brain. Many people, and in some cases, whole cultures had been duped into believing a sweet fairy tale about the birth of a child that would become the Savior of his people. Most civilizations had a similar tale of a lucky or blessed child, so it wasn't unusual to find that sort of story in the New Testament that Christians used. In her mind there was nothing to indicate that the Christmas story was remotely accurate. If Christ was a real person, most likely his birth would have occurred in the Spring, given the ideas of shepherds watching flocks and the Roman census of the Jewish population. When it occurred didn't really matter, however. Attaching special significance to the birth of a mythical character was beyond her understanding.

Still….in the back of her mind, there was still the memory of times during the holidays spent with family and friends, and she knew somewhere deep down inside of her being that she craved the love and attention that she had been given lavishly when she was a child. Anthropologically speaking, all primates needed love and affection...the touch of another member of the group. It seemed like a long time since Temperance had experienced that tender touch from another human being.

Once again Temperance looked out the window. She convinced herself that it was simply a cultural norm that demanded that Christmas be celebrated with family and friends, and since she was usually far outside the norm, it should be expected that she wouldn't need the presence of those things in her life. She convinced herself that being alone on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was not an issue. She liked being alone most other days, preferring her own company to that of other people….Christmas should be no different.

A single tear rolled down her cheek. Logically, Christmas should be no different than any other day….rationally, she should be okay being alone like every other day….but in reality...she knew that this time it simply wasn't true.


	5. Chapter 5

Temperance Brennan stretched and groaned as she stood up from her desk. rubbing her neck muscles. Her neck and shoulders were stiff from bending over her computer keyboard. She rested her hands lightly on her abdomen, talking softly to the child growing within her. "Just a few months more and you'll be here. Your Daddy says he can't wait to see you." She laughed softly as she continued. "I'm becoming impatient, too. I love you, little one, but it's becoming difficult to fit under my computer desk." She sighed contentedly as her patted her baby bump. It was still hard for her to grasp the changes that had taken place in her life since last Christmas. Hannah had left Booth and moved to London after his failed marriage proposal. Booth had taken some time to recover emotionally before being open to another attempt at a relationship with his Bones. Vincent had died….and then that night...Brennan knew she'd never forget the night when their child was conceived. She and Booth were inseparable now, and even though she'd never enjoyed Christmas in the past, she was actually looking forward to spending the Christmas season with him this year.

She checked her email one more time before shutting down her computer for the evening. She ached all over, tired from the exertion of the day. The crime scene they had been called to was remote, and the terrain was difficult, with steep, rocky slopes leading down to a narrow ravine….not ideal conditions for anyone, but especially not for someone who was almost seven months pregnant. The remains had been in very bad shape because of animal scavenging and predation, and the field recovery had been quite difficult. Standing over the remains all day had begun to bother her back, knees, and ankles, but that was to be expected after all this time. The physical toll of her job had begun to impact her body in a negative way. She grimaced in annoyance. She wasn't ill...she had a perfectly normal physical condition. Pregnancy was no reason to stop working. Millions of women all over the world did intense physical labor while they were pregnant...she saw no reason why she should be any different.

Booth, however, didn't see things that way. He was quite annoyed by the fact that she had chosen to make the trip out to the crime scene, complaining loudly about the possible injuries she might be inflicting on herself and their unborn daughter. He had hovered around her like a crab whose mate was molting, and it was becoming an irritation because it sometimes interfered with her work. Brennan clenched her jaw and pursed her lips as she thought about the argument she and Booth had been engaged in on the way back to the lab. Each one thought the other was being unreasonable, and each one was too stubborn to admit they might need to compromise. She realized there were still many issues to be worked out between them about raising their child.

Brennan stood in the doorway of her office as she waited for Booth, looking out toward the lab. Since Angela now had a home of her own to decorate, the lab was not as exuberantly decorated as it had been during previous Christmases, even though strands of LED lights were draped around several lab stations. The museum's new art director had put Christmas touches on several of the Natural History dioramas, and her artistic flair had seeped into the lab area. The entry doors of the lab were tastefully decorated with large gold flocked evergreen wreaths, and yew topiaries flanked either side of the doors. Small table top trees were strategically placed around the lab. each with tiny gold decorations adorning them. Brennan found the understated elegance of the decor quite appealing. She laughed to herself as she imagined how Booth would react if she told him she wanted a table top tree instead of the gargantuan fir that was currently residing in the apartment. He'd be horrified….when it came to decorating for Christmas, Booth was a no holds barred man. It seemed that every square inch of his apartment was covered with Santa Clauses, yards of tinsel, and snowmen of every description. That was Booth through and through, throwing himself completely into every project.

Brennan started to leave her office but remembered that she needed some files from her desk. She stood looking through the file drawer when she heard a familiar voice.

"Hiya, Bones." Booth stood leaning against the doorframe as he often did. He'd been watching her work, thanking God again for the beautiful woman who loved him. "Ready to go? It's getting kinda late. I would've been here sooner but there was an accident at the intersection right in front of the Hoover." He walked into the office and stood in front of her desk. "I know you must be tired…." He paused, choosing his next words carefully. "Listen, I'm sorry about being so overprotective of you at the crime scene today. I mean, when you said the victim was about the same age as you, and that she'd recently given birth, I guess I just lost it. I can't imagine what I'd do if something happened to you or to our daughter, Bones…."

"The emotional and physical aspects of this case caused both of us to be anxious, Booth. Add the excess of gestational hormones caused by my pregnancy, and it can be a volatile mixture." Brennan walked around the desk to hug Booth. "I know you feel the need to be protective. I will admit that I find your alpha male tendencies to be very attractive, even when you're hovering over me excessively. I'm sorry that I spoke harshly to you on the way back to the lab. I know you have my best interests at heart." She kissed him and smiled. "Perhaps it's a good thing that we'll have some days off over the Christmas holiday. We can spend our time recuperating together." Brennan grinned as she put her arms around Booth's neck.. "I find that I'm looking forward to spending time relaxing with you…."

"Hey, that reminds me…." He winked at her as he pulled a small package out of his jacket pocket. "I've got something for you." He put the package on Brennan's desk with a flourish. "I want you to open this now."

"Booth, it's not Christmas yet...in fact, it's several days away." Brennan pretended to glare at Booth. "Is this some Christmas tradition you haven't explained to me yet?"

He was grinning from ear to ear. "Well, I know it's not Christmas, but I can't wait any more to give this to you, so I want you to open it now." He laughed as he saw her confusion. "Don't worry...there will still be presents to open on Christmas Day…."

Brennan pretended to scowl. "You know I'm not that greedy, Booth." She cautiously examined the box and started to pick at the tape holding the paper in place.

"Jeez….just open it, Bones…" Booth was growing impatient.

"Just a minute, Booth…." She loosened the paper from a small box. "This looks interesting…" Opening the jewelry box, she stood speechless for a few seconds.

"Hey, if you don't like it I can return it…" Booth was obviously disappointed. "It's no big deal…"

"No, Booth...It's beautiful." Brennan lifted a gold chain out of the box and inspected the charm attached to it. It was a small gold heart shaped padlock, with a small gold key hanging on a tiny ring attached to it. "I've never seen anything like it."

"That little charm has a special meaning, Bones...it means you hold the key to my heart...and that key will never belong to anyone else. Here...let me help you put it on…." He fastened the clasp around her neck. "I'm so lucky to have you. I'm looking forward to spending this Christmas with you, and many, many more…" He kissed her gently. "I love you, Bones…"

"I love you, too, Booth...and I'm looking forward to spending many holidays with you, too." She touched the charm again and smiled slyly. "Thank you for my gift. Perhaps I can give you a gift in return when we get home."

Booth laughed as he ushered Brennan toward the door. "In that case, what are we waiting for? We'd better hurry…"


	6. Chapter 6

Temperance Brennan smiled as she checked her email one last time for the day, glad to see that there was nothing important enough to keep her from leaving. She shut down her computer, picked up her files, put them in her bag and strode toward the door of her office, enjoying the feeling of doing something different….something that she would never have considered in the past few years. She was leaving work early. She smiled and shook her head, reveling in her escapade. "Well, you're really being a rebel, aren't you, leaving at noon on December 23? And you took tomorrow off, too! You're also not going to work on Christmas! What's this world coming to, Brennan?" Laughing at herself, she knew exactly who to blame for this blatant disrespect of the work day….the father of her child: one Special Agent Seeley Booth. They were both leaving work early to go Christmas shopping for Christine..

She looked out her office door, glad to see that the lab had been decorated for Christmas again this year. The decorations were basically the same as last year, but after witnessing the effort Booth put into Christmas, they seemed a little tame...maybe the lab needed more lights or brighter tinsel, but it seemed like something was missing. Even the topiaries seemed scrawny, especially when compared to the beautiful blue spruce Booth had brought home to be their Christmas tree this year. Their new house had the perfect spot in the family room for such a massive tree, and they'd had great fun going through the boxes of ornaments Booth had collected over the years, deciding which ones to use and where to put them. Christine had been particularly fascinated with the small Philly Phanatic ornament, reaching for it every chance she got.

Brennan sighed contentedly. She knew she would never be able to believe the Christmas story as presented in the New Testament was true, but she finally understood why people enjoyed spending the holiday with their families and friends. She was finally immersed in the love that she had craved all those years before her relationship with Booth, and now that they had a child, it was almost too wonderful to comprehend.

"Hiya, Bones." Booth stood in the doorway. "Ready to go?" He grinned when he saw her face light up at his greeting.

"Yes." She smiled broadly. "I'm looking forward to our shopping trip. I want to focus our search on educational toys for Christine….things that will help her develop her motor skills and speech patterns. It's never too early for Christine to start learning to read…"

Booth rolled his eyes and laughed at her. "She's a baby, Bones….all she cares about is eating and pooping….and maybe about waking us up at 2 am. I think we should get her some blocks, and maybe a rag doll…."

"A rag doll…..I don't know, Booth….I haven't done any research on that…"

"You don't need to research it, Bones...kids like stuffed animals and soft toys like that. If you don't want to get her a doll, some other stuffed animal will do." Booth walked into the office and embraced Brennan. "Christine will be fine, no matter what we choose, because we love her, and she's gonna grow up in a happy family, alright? So let's go…." He turned and started for the door.

"Booth…." Brennan stood in the middle of her office, uncertainty showing on her face.

"What's wrong, Bones?" Booth walked back to where Brennan was standing.

"I….I don't know how to have Christmas for a child…..I don't know what to do…." She brushed a tear from her cheek. "I want so much for Christine to have good memories of Christmas, and I'm afraid I'll make a mistake….I don't remember much about my childhood Christmas celebrations. I don't have any family traditions."

"No problem...we'll just make up some new traditions...things that we do for our family. Trust me, Bones….things are gonna work out just fine. So no more tears, alright? Christine's gonna love Christmas." He gave her a goofy grin. "Hey, know what? I almost forgot….I have something for you." Booth pulled a small box out of his jacket pocket. "I just came from picking it up."

Brennan pretended to be annoyed. "I think you need a calendar, Booth. It isn't Christmas yet…."

"I don't care. I can't wait any more. Open it."

She ripped the paper off the box with glee. "Look, Booth...I learned how to unwrap packages!" Smiling, she opened the tiny box. "Booth….it's….amazing…" The slender gold band held a row of seven small entwined hearts, each with a tiny diamond in the center.

"I had it made special for you." He held his hand up to interrupt her protest. "It's not an engagement ring, okay? It's an 'I love you' ring. See, it lies flat so it won't stick up through an exam glove." He smirked at her. "And if we ever do get married…"

"That's not going to happen…" Brennan pretended to glare at him.

"WHEN we get married…" he dodged her playful jab in at his ribs…"You can wear it behind your wedding ring or on the other hand." Booth winked at Brennan and laughed. "Or if you're tired of me, I guess you can pawn it."

"Booth, it's beautiful…" Brennan slipped it on her left hand ring finger. "But remember...we're not engaged...we're domestic partners…"

"Whatever. So let's go...we gotta get to the store and find some blocks and a stuffed animal….now what?" Booth turned to see Brennan tearing up again.

"Thank you, Booth….thank you for teaching me how to love someone. Over the years I've known you, I've grown so much because of you….and that's the best Christmas gift I've ever gotten. I love you so much, Booth…."

"I love you, too, Bones…" He kissed her gently and smiled. "You're the best gift I've ever received. Merry Christmas."


	7. Chapter 7

Booth and Brennan walked gingerly through the rumpled piles of wadded up wrapping paper on the family room floor, trying to avoid stepping on stuffed animals, legos, books, and toy dishes as they carefully sorted through the empty boxes and gift bags left over from opening the Christmas gifts, making sure that nothing valuable was put out with the trash. Christine and Hank were also busy as they tried to play with all of their new toys at once, laughing and running around the family room trailing ribbons and bows. It had been a very happy Christmas morning.

Booth quietly went out to the garage again to take another peek...and his shiny new jet ski was still there waiting to ride the waves. He hadn't been dreaming! He really did get a jet ski for Christmas! Grinning happily, he turned to his wife as she joined him in the garage. "I can't believe you managed to surprise me with something this big. How did you sneak this baby into the garage without me noticing it?"

Brennan grinned slyly, not sure that she wanted to give her secret away. "I had some help from some of Santa's Dwarfs. They can be very sneaky when given adequate incentives."

"You mean elves, right? Santa's elves?" Booth grinned again with a twinkle in his eye. "I'll be sure to tell Aubrey thanks. I guess I owe him some turns riding it, don't I?"

"Hmph!" Brennan let out a little gasp of exasperation. "I don't know why you think it was him, Booth. From what I've read, Santa has lots of elves." She reached up to touch her earlobe. "I love my earrings, Booth, and I'm excited about my trip to New Mexico for the seminar later this year, but are you sure you can handle both children for two weeks while I'm gone?"

"Yeah, Max is gonna help me with the kids. That's part of his Christmas gift to you." Booth pulled his wife into a hug. "I think we had a great Christmas, don't you?"

"Yes, but it'll be even better when we have breakfast. Come into the house, Booth. Your jet ski will still be here in the garage this afternoon. You can come out to visit it later."

oooooooooo

The highlight of the breakfast menu for Christmas morning was Booth's world famous pancakes. He whipped up the batter and started flipping the fluffy flapjacks with gusto. Brennan set the table and poured the orange juice and coffee. "Christine...it's time for breakfast. Come to the table, please."

"Mommy, we're still playing. Do we have to eat now?" Christine's lower lip stuck out slightly.

Brennan smiled at her daughter. "You'll get to play for the rest of the day, Christine, but your daddy has worked hard to cook breakfast for us, so we need to eat it now, while it's still hot." Brennan picked up Hank and put him in his high chair, and put a bowl of fruit on the table in front of Christine. "Here's some fresh strawberries to have with the pancakes. Remember...breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your body needs fuel to run efficiently."

Booth brought a plate piled high with pancakes to the table and encouraged Christine to eat a good breakfast. "We need to eat breakfast now so we have room for Christmas dinner later. We're gonna have lots of good things to eat for dinner tonight….turkey, ham, stuffing, sweet potatoes...and maybe some pie…" He slathered his pancakes with butter, and poured syrup over them. "I think Aunt Angela is going to bring frosted sugar cookies, too."

"Booth, I really don't think the children should eat so many sugary items in one day. Christine, we'll also have some vegetarian selections for Christmas dinner if you'd like to try those."

"C'mon, Bones...it's only one day out of the year…" Booth poured more syrup on Christine's pancakes.

"I realize that, but I don't want the children's digestive systems to be compromised by overindulgence. Christine, I think you'll like the tofu casseroles I'm making…"

Christine puffed out a small sigh of disgust, but she wanted to please her mother, so she tried to sound enthusiastic. "Okay, Mommy...I'll try them. Daddy, may I have more pancakes, please?"

"Sure thing, Sweetheart...and here's one for Mommy…and a baby pancake for your baby brother...What do you think about the pancakes today, Bones?"

Brennan wiped a bit of syrup from her lip and then she tried to clean Hank's sticky fingers. "They're excellent." She gave Booth a kiss on the cheek as he sat down next to her. "We need to eat breakfast and finish picking things up before our company comes for dinner."

"Okay, everybody….", Booth said with a flourish of his fork, "dig in. Let's hurry up and eat these yummy pancakes so we can clean the house quickly and still have time to play with our toys…"

oooooooooo

The house was full of friends and family ready to celebrate the holiday by enjoying Christmas dinner together. The counter and buffet was laden with every type of food imaginable...vegetarian dishes, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, several different types of vegetable dishes and at least four different kinds of pies. Everyone gathered around to begin the feast when Booth called them for their attention.

Clearing his throat, he put his arm around Brennan as he raised his wine glass to the crowd. "Before we begin, I'd like to say a few words….Bones and I want to thank all of you for joining us for Christmas dinner. Your love and friendship means a lot to us, and we're glad to open our home to all of you so we can share it. So Merry Christmas.." The crowd responded to the toast by clinking glasses with each other. "Now…..let's eat." A cheer went up as the dinner guests gathered around and helped themselves to their favorites. The plates were filled and everyone found a place to sit. Soon the room was filled with the sound of happy people sharing stories and laughter as they enjoyed each other's company.

ooooooooo

"I'm impressed, Bones...20 guests for dinner and you pulled it off without a problem." It was late on Christmas evening, and Booth was drying the last of the pots and pans as Brennan wiped the counter. "You're an amazing woman, you know that? I'm a lucky man…"

Brennan smiled as she turned to her husband. "Actually, Booth, I consider myself to be the more fortunate person in this relationship. Feeding 20 guests at Christmas dinner is just a matter of planning and logistics. It helped that several people brought food to share so I had very little to cook for the menu." She saw the skeptical look on his face. "Having the ability to plan an event like this isn't what makes me fortunate." She reached out to hold his hand as they sat on the bar stools next to the kitchen counter. After taking a few seconds to compose herself, she tried to explain what she was feeling.

"I was quite miserable for the three or four Christmases after my parents left. They had always celebrated the holidays with enthusiasm, and I didn't experience that sort of joy in my foster homes. When I went to college I spent Christmas alone in my dorm room during my freshman year because I had no other place to go." Brennan tried unsuccessfully to control a sob. She sighed as tears ran down her face.

"Bones, I'm so sorry…." Booth put his arm around her shoulders to comfort her. "I didn't mean to remind you of those bad experiences."

She shook her head and tilted her chin, willing herself to be strong. "Don't be sorry, Booth. I need to tell you these things, so you'll understand how I feel now, because the contrast between my life then and my life now is truly remarkable. For many years I avoided celebrating Christmas because it made me so unhappy for a period of time during the year when everyone else seemed to be happy. It reminded me of so many bad things that had happened in my life, and so I tried to escape those memories by leaving the country."

She turned to Booth, smiling through her tears. "But the one thing I couldn't escape was you, Booth. When we started working together you helped me face so many of my fears, especially the fear of loving someone. You helped me see the all of the good things in life, and when you offered to share them with me, I realized I didn't need to escape any more. I was strong enough to stay and face my fears. And so...look what I have now, because of your patience with me and your love for me. I have a beautiful home, a beautiful family, friends….I've become even more successful at my job because you've helped me grow emotionally...and I have you to share all of that with me. That makes me the fortunate one...I don't know how I can ever thank you for all that you've given me, Booth. I'm overwhelmed with love and happiness. You've given me such an amazing gift...such a beautiful life... "

Booth reached over to brush the tears from his wife's face. "Bones...I'm the lucky one...you've stuck with me through so many things, even when I was a class A jerk...through Hannah and the gambling...you were always there for me even when I didn't know it or when I didn't want to admit it. You know about all the things I've had to do in my life...you know I've killed people, and you still stay with me. For a long time I didn't think I was worthy of being loved, and yet you love me…" He took her hand in his and tilted her chin until he could look into her eyes, "and I don't know where I'd be without you. I thought I celebrated Christmas well before I met you, but Christmas is so much better when we're together, you and me and our kids. Thank you so much."

"Perhaps we'll have to agree to disagree, Booth…I still think I'm the more fortunate one…." Brennan smiled as she leaned into the hand he had cupped next to her cheek.

"Or, perhaps, we could just say that we're lucky to have each other…." Booth gave her a gentle squeeze and kiss. "And we're so lucky and so blessed that we feel badly that everyone else isn't as lucky or as blessed as we are."

"Perhaps. Booth, where are you going?" Brennan had tried to return the hug when he stood up and stretched, yawning loudly.

"Um….nowhere...I mean the dishes are done, right...so...maybe...to bed, I guess." Booth seemed embarrassed.

Brennan laughed out loud. "Yes, go ahead and look again….I imagine your jet ski is still parked in the garage."

"Thanks, Bones. I love you, too."


End file.
